Bowling game apparatus



y 1963 E. K. MENTZER ETAL 3,091,457

BOWLING GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 2, 1961 i iiilScoring Totulizing and Printing Circuiiry INVENTORS Ernest C. Webb IEverefl K. Mentzer by (,5 M

ATTORNEKS' May 28, 1963 E. K. MENTZER ETAL 3,

BOWLING GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 2, 1961orinq,Toic|lizing J and Printing Circuitry INVENTORS Ernest C. WebbEverett K. Mentzer b5 ATTORNEYS 3,091,457 BOWLING GAME APPARATUS EverettK. Mentzer, Struthers, and Ernest C. Webb, Bay Village, Ohio, assignors,by mesne assignments, to The Cleveland Trust Co., a banking institution,trustee, Cleveland, Ohio Filed Nov. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 1459,66 1 12Claims. (Cl. 273-54) This invention relates to bowling game apparatus,and more particularly to apparatus for automatically indicating illegalpinfall which results from pins being knocked down by a ball whichleaves the bowling alley before reaching the pins.

Although not limited thereto, the present invention is particularlyadapted for use with a device for automatically detecting, registering,totalizing and printing the score in a bowling game, such as that shownin copendin g application Serial No. 38,091, filed July 7, 1961. In sucha system the pinifall is initially detected and thereafter registeredpreparatory to a totalizing and printing operation. As is known, anypinfall is illegal under the rules of the American Bowling Congressresulting from a ball which leaves the alley before reaching the pins.In the usual case, such illegal pinfall occurs when a bowler attempts toknock down an end pin by an angle delivery from one side of the alley tothe other. In such a delivery it sometimes happens that the ball willleave the alley adjacent the pin deck and rebound oil the kickback plateto knock down pins. Such pinfall, of course, should not be counted inscoring the game; however the aforesaid automatic registering andtotalizing apparatus, in and of itself, is not capable of distinguishingbetween ordinary pinfall and illegal pinfall of the type describedabove. Accordingly, in the absence of some type of apparatus fordetecting the fact that the ball has left the alley before reaching thepins, the automatic scoring circuitry will count the illegal pinfallalong with normal pinfall.

As an overall object, the present invention provides a system fordetecting a bowling ball which leaves the alley before reaching thepins.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a system fordetecting illegal pinfall as a result of a bowling ball leaving thealley before knocking down pins.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means, incombination with an automatic bow-ling game scoring system, fordisabling the scoring system to register illegal pinfall of the typedescribed above.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided electrical switchapparatus having switch actuating means on the bowling alley kickbackplates and extending along the entire length of the pin deck such thatthe switch apparatus will be actuated under the impact of a bowling ballat any point on the kickback plate adjacent the pin deck, together withelectrical utilization apparatus responsive to actuation of the switchapparatus for indicating the fact that the ball has left the alley. Theswitch actuating apparatus may comprise an elastic inflated bladderwhich will compress under the weight of a bowling ball to actuate apressure responsive switch, or the kickback plate adjacent the pin deckmay be pivotally mounted, or supported on springs, such that it may moveinwardly toward the kickback under the weight of a bowling ball to tripa limit switch or the like. Other switch actuating means may be usedwhich are responsive to the impact of the ball adjacent the pin deck;but, in all cases, actuation of the switch will energize visualindicating means and/or will disable automatic registering and scoringapparatus from counting the pins which are knocked down after a ballrebounds from the kickback.

nited btates atent The above and other objects and features of theinvention will become apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part ofthis specification, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a bowling alley showing the manner inwhich a ball may leave the alley and rebound to knock down pins;

FIG. 2 is a partially broken away end view of the alley of FIG. 1,showing one embodiment of the invention for detecting a ball whichleaves the alley before knocking down pins;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of another embodiment of the ball-detectingapparatus of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the bowling alley of FIG. 1 illustratinganother embodiment of the invention wherein the ball is detected bymeans of a pivoted kickback plate; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the pivoted kickback plate shown in FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, theconventional bowling alley shown comprises the usual approach area 10which terminates at a foul line 12. On the other side of the foul lineis the alley proper 14 comprising tongue-andigroove bed stock laid onedge. The alley 14 terminates at a tail plank 16, while ahead of thetail plank is a pin deck 18 having ten fiber pin spots 26 thereon. Aswill be understood, the pins are placed on the pins spots 20 during abowling game either manually or by means of an automatic pin spottingmachine, not shown. On each side of the alley 14 are round bottomgutters 2 2, only one of such gutters being shown in FIG. 1. The gutters22 extend from the foul line 12 to the pin deck 18; while along the pindeck are gutters 24 which conventionally have flat bottom surfaces,these gutters 24 communicating with the end of gutters 22 as shown.

Separating successive alleys are division boards 26 which communicatewith kickbacks 28. The kickbacks extend along the length of the pin deck18 as Well as the pit 3d behind the tail plank. A cushion plank 32extends between the tops of the kickbacks Z8 and supports a cushion 34,substantially as shown. On the side of each kickback 28 is a kickbackplate 36 facing the pins on spots 20.

In a bowling game, a bowler may attempt to knock down an end pin by anangle shot along the approximate path 38 shown in FIG. 1. It sometimeshappens that the path of travel of the ball and its momentum are suchthat it will leave the alley before reaching the pins, rebound from thekickback 28 and then be deflected back onto the pin deck where it willknock down pins. Pins which are knocked down in this manner should, ofcourse, not be counted in scoring the game.

As was mentioned above, the present invention is particularly adaptedfor use with an automatic scoring, totalizing and printing system for abowling game of the type shown in copending application Serial No.38,091, filed July 7, 1960. In such a system, the standing pins aredetected after each ball is delivered in a bowling game, and the numberof standing pins then subtracted from ten in electrical circuity todetermine the number of fallen pins. The number of fallen pins is thenautomatically printed on a score sheet, and is also added to thecumulative number of fallen pins in previous frames of the bowling gamein order to totalize the score preparatory to its being printed on thescore sheet also. In the absence of some type of detecting means forindicating a condition such as that wherein the ball leaves the alleybefore knocking down pins, those pins knocked down illegally would becounted as normal pinfall by the automatic scoring, totalizing andprinting circuitry. In accordance With the present invention, meansschematically indicated at 40 in FIG. 1, are provided for detecting aball which leaves the alley before knocking down pins, the detectingmeans serving also to disable automatic scoring, totalizing and printingcircuitry such that it will not count the illegal pinfall.

Referring now to FIG. 2, one type of detecting means is shown whichcomprises a pair of elastic bladders 42 and 44 which are secured to thesides of the kickbacks 28 just above the gutters 24 by any suitablemeans, not shown. Each bladder extends along the entire length of thepin deck from the tail plank 16 to the head pin and comprises anenclosure having side walls 46 and 48 of rubber or the like which willcompress under the impact of a bowling ball B which leaves the alleybefore knocking down pins. Connected to the bladders 42 and 44 are tubes50 and 52, respectively, each of which communicates with an electricalpressure switch 54 or 55. Each pressure switch 54, 55 comprises acylinder 56 which contains a reciprocable piston 58, this piston beingurged upwardly as shown in FIG. 2 by means of coil spring 60. Eachpiston 58 is, in turn, connected to an electrical contact 64 which, whenmoved downwardly, completes a circuit to the automatic scoring,totalizing and printing circuitry 66, shown in the aforesaid applicationSerial No. 38,091, to disable such circuitry from printing or totalizingthe number of fallen pins when the ball leaves the alley before knockingdown such pins.

As shown, the tubes 50 and 52 are connected to the cylinders 56 abovethe pistons 58. Initially, each closed system comprising bladder 42 or44 and its associated tube 50 or 52 may be inflated with pressure ofinflation being such that it will not depress the spring 60 in and ofitself. Furthermore, the springs 60 are such that even though flyingpins strike the bladder 42, for example, the impact of the pins will notbe great enough to compress the spring 60 associated with that bladderand close its contact 64. When, however, a bowling ball B, being of muchgreater weight and having a greater momentum than the pins, strikeseither one of the bladders 42 or 44, its associated spring 60 will becompressed to close the contact 64 and complete the disabling circuit tothe automatic scoring, totalizing and printing circuitry 66. At the sametime, closure of either one of the contacts 64 will energize relay 68 toclose its contact 70, thereby energizing the lamp 72 through a source ofpotential, such as battery 74, to visually indicate that a ball has leftthe alley before reaching the pins.

If desired, the closed system of bladders 42 and 44 and their associatedtubes 50 and 52 need not be inflated. In this latter case, the strengthof the flexible walls of the bladders 42 and 44 will be such that theywill not deflect under the impact of a pin, but will deflect under theweight of a moving bowling ball to compress the springs 60 and close thecontacts 64. In this latter case, the walls 46 and 48 may be reinforcedwith tire chord or the like, if necessary.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the bladders 42 and 44 may be replaced by anarrangement comprising a rubber or other elastic device 76 havingparallel, facing side walls 77 and 79. Each of the facing side walls islined, as shown, with strips of electrical conducting material 78 and80, the arrangement being such that when a bowling ball strikes thedevice 76, one of its walls will compress to make contact between thestrips 78 and 86. These strips, in turn, will be connected in a circuitto the automatic scoring, totalizing and printing circuitry 66 of FIG. 2such that the circuit will be disabled when the strips 78 and 80 makecontact in response to a ball leaving the alley before knocking downpins. As with the bladders 42 and 44, the walls of device 76 may bereinforced with tire chord if necessary to give them suflicient strengthsuch that they will not collapse under the impact of a pin, but willnevertheless collapse to make contact between strips 78 and under theimpact of a bowling ball which rebounds to knock down pins.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, still another embodiment of theinvention is shown wherein the lower portion 81 of each kickback plate36 is hinged as at 82, this lower portion extending beyond the mainkickback plate shown in FIG. 5 so as to extend along the entire lengthof the pin deck from the tail plank 16 to the head pin. With thearrangement shown, there is provided a hinged flap 84 which is biasedoutwardly at its lower edge by means of coil springs 86. Positionedbehind each of the flaps 84 are limit switches 88, the arrangement beingsuch that when either flap is moved inwardly toward its kickback 28 inresponse to a bowling ball leaving the alley, the limit switch 88 willbe closed to disable the automatic scoring, totalizing and printingcircuitry 66. At the same time, closure of either one of the limitswitches 88 will energize relay 73 to close its contact 75, therebyenergizing lamp 71 through battery 78' to visually indicate the factthat the ball has left the alley as in the embodiment of FIG. 2. As willbe understood, the strength of springs 86 on either one of the flaps 84must be such that they will not compress to trip the limit switch 88under the weight of flying pins but will nevertheless be compressed totrip the switch in response to a bowling ball.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with certainspecific embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may bemade to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a bowling alley having a pin deck and at least one kickback at theside of the pin deck, the combination of means for detecting a ballwhich strikes the kickback and rebounds to knock down pins comprisingelectrical switch means actuable by a ball which strikes the kickback,and electrical utilization apparatus responsive to actuation of theswitch means for indicating the fact that the ball has left the alleybefore knocking down pins.

2. In a bowling alley having a pin deck and a kickback on at least oneside of the pin deck, the combination of means for detecting a ballwhich strikes the kickback and rebounds to knock down pins comprisingelectrical switch means mounted on said kickback and actuable by a ballwhich strikes the kickback and rebounds to knock down pins, andelectrical utilization apparatus responsive to actuation of the switchmeans for indicating the fact that the ball has left the alley beforeknocking down pins.

3. In a bowling alley having a pin deck and at least one kickback at theside of the pin deck, the combination of means for detecting a ballwhich strikes the kickback adjacent the pin deck and rebounds to knockdown pins comprising electrical switch apparatus having a switchactuating means extending along the entire length of the kickbackadjacent the pin deck such that the switch apparatus will be actuated bythe impact of a bowling ball at any point on the kickback adjacent thepin deck, and electrical utilization apparatus responsive to actuationof the switch apparatus for indicating the fact that the ball has leftthe alley.

4. In a bowling alley having a kickback on at least one side of thealley, the combination of means for detecting a ball which strikes thekickback comprising an inflated bladder of elastic material positionedon the side of the kickback and compressible under the impact of abowling ball, an electrical pressure switch actuable in response tocompression of the bladder, and electrical utilization apparatusresponsive to actuation of the pres sure switch for indicating the factthat a bowling ball has left the alley.

5. In a bowling alley having a pin deck and a kickback on at least oneside of the pin deck, the combination of means for detecting a ballwhich strikes the kickback adjacent the pin deck and rebounds to knockdown pins, comprising an inflated bladder of elastic material positionedon the side of the kickback and extending along the entire length of thepin deck, said bladder being compressible under the impact of a bowlingball, an electrical pressure switch actuable in response to compressionof the bladder, and electrical utilization apparatus responsive toactuation of the pressure switch for indicating the fact that a bowlingball has left the alley before knocking down pins.

6. In a bowling alley having a kickback on at least one side thereof,the combination of means for detecting a ball which strikes the kickbackcomprising an elongated elastic member positioned on the kickback anddefining an enclosure with opposite side walls extending parallel to thekickback, strips of electrical conducting material on the opposite sidewalls, and means connecting said conducting strips in a circuit forindicating striking of a ball against the kickback, the arrangementbeing such that the elastic member will compress under the impact of aball to contact said conducting strips to complete said indicatingcircuit.

7. In a bowling alley having a pin deck and at least one kickback on theside of the pin deck, the combination of means for detecting a ballwhich strikes the kickback adjacent the pin deck and rebounds to knockdown pins, comprising an elongated elastic member positioned on thekickback and extending along the entire length of the pin deck, saidelastic member defining an enclosure with opposite side walls extendingparallel to the kickback, strips of electrical conducting material onthe 0pposite side walls, said strips of electrical conducting materialextending throughout the length of the pin deck, and means connectingsaid conducting strips in a circuit for indicating the impact of a ballagainst the detecting means, the arrangement being such that the elasticmember will compress under the impact of a ball to contact saidconducting strips and complete said indicating circuit.

8. In a bowling alley having a kickback on at least one side thereof,the combination of means for detecting a ball which rolls into thekickback comprising a horizontally movable plate on the kickback, springmeans urging the plate toward the pin deck, limit switch means actuableupon movement of said plate away from the pin deck under the impact of abowling ball, and circuit means responsive to actuation of the limitswitch means for indicating the fact that ball has struck the kickback.

9. In a bowling alley having a pin deck and at least one kickback on oneside of the pin deck, the combination of means for detecting a ballwhich strikes the kickback adjacent the pin deck and rebounds to knockdown pins, comprising a horizontally movable plate on the kickbackextending throughout the length of the pin deck, spring means urgingsaid plate toward the pin deck, limit switch means actuable uponmovement of said plate away from the pin deck under the impact of abowling ball, and circuit means responsive to actuation of the limitswitch means for indicating the fact that a ball has struck thekickback.

10. In a bowling alley having a kickback on at least one side thereof,the combination of means for detecting a ball which strikes the kickbackand rebounds, comprising a plate member extending along the length ofthe pin deck and pivotally connected at its upper edge to the kickback,spring means interposed between the kickback and the lower edge of saidplate member, limit switch means actuable upon pivotal movement of thelower edge of the plate member away from the pin deck in response to theimpact of a bowling ball, and electrical utilization apparatusresponsive to actuation of the limit switch means for indicating thefact that the ball has struck the kickback.

11. In a bowling alley having a pin deck, a kickback on at least oneside of the pin deck, and apparatus for automatically registeringpinfall and totalizing the score in a bowling game; the combination ofmeans for disabling said registering and totalizing apparatus when a:ball strikes the kickback and rebounds to knock down pins comprisingelectrical switch means. actuable by a ball which strikes the kickback,and means responsive to actuation of the switch means for preventingsaid apparatus from registering and totalizing pinfall resulting from aball which rebounds from the kickback.

12. In a bowling alley having a pin deck, at least one kickback at theside of the pin deck, and apparatus for automatically registeringpinfall and totalizing the score in a bowling game; the combination ofan electrical switch device having switch actuating means extendingalong the entire length of the kickback adjacent the pin deck such thatthe switch device will be actuated by the impact of a bowling ball atany point on the kickback adjacent the pin deck, and means responsive toactuation of the switch device for preventing said apparatus fromregistering and totalizing pinfall resulting from a ball which strikesthe kickback and rebounds to knock down pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,645,491 Volman July 14, 1953 2,784,001 Simjian Mar. 5, 1957 2,894,752Simjian July 14, 1959 2,980,424 Sanders et a1. Apr. 18, 1961 FOREIGNPATENTS 513,011 Germany Nov. 21, 1930

1. IN A BOWLING ALLEY HAVING A PIN DECK AND AT LEAST ONE KICKBACK AT THESIDE OF THE DECK, THE COMBINATION OF MEANS FOR DETECTING A BALL WHICHSTRIKES THE KICKBACK AND REBOUNDS TO KNOCK DOWN PINS COMPRISINGELECTRICAL SWITCH MEANS ACTUABLE BY A BALL WHICH STRIKES THE KICKBACK,AND ELECTRICAL UTILIZATION APPARATUS RESPONSIVE TO ACTUATION OF THESWITCH MEANS FOR INDICATING THE FACT THAT THE BALL HAS LEFT THE ALLEYBEFORE KNOCKING DOWN PINS.